This is the fully illustrated and extended annotated edition including a rare and extensive biographical essay on the author, his life and works plus a wealth of illustrations. A book of remarkable and thrilling adventures, very much in the style of Mr. Verne's previous books, and adapted to interest either boy-readers or adults. The "Giant raft" is as immense as the "Steam house," and the characters and incidents quite as original. The story opens with the finding of a paper of hieroglyphics by an adventurer in a Brazilian forest—he puts it wiih some gold coin in a silver case, places it near his head, and falls asleep. The object excites the attention of a "guariba" (whom Mr. Verne describes at length), and he steals it and makes off; after this follows a long string of queer adventures connected with the silver case.